Jake goes 'old school' in Canberra
A quick glance at the calendar confirmed it was not April 1. So reports from Canberra that Jake White wants to lure Stephen Larkham out of retirement have to be taken seriously.
The Canberra Times reported that season-ending injuries to flyhalves Christian Lealiifano (fractured ankle) and Matt Toomua (knee reconstruction surgery) have driven the World Cup-winning former Springbok coach to such desperate measures.
White believes Larkham can make a comeback and the Brumbies coach says he ”would be crazy” if he didn’t try to lure the Wallabies great out of retirement.
White told the Canberra Times it was a ”real option” to help fill the gap in the Brumbies’ playmaker ranks.
The Brumbies are without two of their most experienced players, Lealiifano and Toomua, and first- and second- choice flyhalves.
White is keen to recruit a senior player for the remainder of the season to help his young backline.
Larkham is one option, but the Brumbies are also searching for Australian players abroad, and they could include Matt Giteau, Peter Hewat, Craig Wing or Craig Gower.
All have been playing in Europe or Asia, and would be handy recruits.
But White was adamant Larkham, who turns 38 this month, could be the perfect man to lead his raw squad into the finals.
The Brumbies are at the top of the Australian conference and on the verge of ending a seven-year finals drought after Larkham guided the club to a title in 2004.
“He runs all of our plays, he knows our plays – we would be crazy not to ask him, and it is a real option I could have Stephen Larkham running around for three games,” White told the local newspaper.
“I would never force him to play, but when two fly-halves go down you have to think outside the box.
“If we think he can add value to us then we will pursue it … he’s 37 but there aren’t many guys out there and the ones who are, they aren’t much younger.
“If he says to me he would play, then of course we will go with that.”
Larkham hasn’t played Super Rugby since he left Australia in 2007, and he finished his playing career in France at the start of last year. The veteran of more than 100 Tests and Super Rugby matches has been the Brumbies’ backline coach for the past two seasons.
The Brumbies have a bye this weekend, and White will wait until early next week before deciding if he will add an experienced player to his squad.
